shame, would
have protested again, but her guardian's stern shake of the head
silenced her.

"Well, Mr. Dunn," turning to the groom-to-be; "you're one of the
interested parties--what do you say?"

Malcolm ground his heel into the rug. "I don't consider it your
business," he declared. "You're butting in where--"

"No, no, I ain't. It's my business, and business is just _what_ it is.
Your ma knows that. She and I had a real confidential up and down talk
on love and marriage, and she's the one that proved to me that marryin'
in high society, like yours and the kind Caroline's been circulatin' in,
was business and mighty little else. There's a business contract between
you and my niece. We want to know how soon it can be carried out, that's
all."

The young man looked desperately at the door; but the captain's broad
shoulders blocked the way towards it. He hesitated, scowled, and then,
with a shrug of his shoulders, surrendered.

"How can I marry?" he demanded sullenly. "Confound it! my salary isn't
large enough to pay my own way, decently."

"Malcolm!" cried his mother, warningly.

"Well, Mater, what the devil's the use of all this? You know.... By
Jove! you _ought_ to!"

"Hold on, young feller! I don't understand. Your wages ain't large
enough, you say? What do you mean? You was _goin'_ to be married, wasn't
you?"

Mrs. Dunn plunged to the rescue, a forlorn hope, but desperate, and
fighting to the end.

"An outrage!" she blurted. "Malcolm, I forbid you to continue this
disgusting conversation. Caroline, my poor child, I don't blame you for
this, but I call on you to stop it at once. My dear, I--"

She advanced toward the girl with outstretched arms. Caroline recoiled.

"Don't! don't!" she gasped. Captain Elisha spoke up sharp and stern.

"Excuse me, ma'am," he said, "but I'll be obliged if you'll wait a
minute. Caroline, don't you say a word. You say--you--" addressing
Malcolm, "that you can't support a wife on your wages. You surprise me
some, considerin' the swath you've been cuttin' on 'em--but never mind
that. Maybe they won't keep automobiles and--er--other things I've heard
you was interested in, but if you cut them out and economize a little,
same as young married folks I've known have been glad to do, you could
scrape along, couldn't you? Hey? Couldn't you?"

Malcolm's answer was another scornful shrug. "You belong on Cape Cod,"
he sneered. "Mater, let's get out of this."

"Wait! Put it plain n